The nonprofit sector - also referred to as the nongovernmental (NGO) sector, the third sector or civil society - plays a unique and historical role in our society and increasingly globally. Indeed, a large percentage of GPPI graduates have recognized this and go on to work for a diverse array of nonprofit organizations upon graduation. The sector is a substantial part of the U.S. economy in terms of employment and contributions to GDP. The nearly 2 million organizations that inhabit the nonprofit universe in the U.S. include foundations, think tanks, advocacy groups, community development organizations, private schools and hospitals, arts and cultural institutions, international human rights and public health organizations, faith-based groups, and more. They affect the public policy realm through their policy research, their advocacy, and their delivery of services. And they are the object of policymaking through the tax code, the budget process, regulatory actions, and court decisions. The courses in the Nonprofit Policy and Leadership track treat the sector as an actor in the policy process, exploring the many ways it intersects with government, how it functions as an advocate, and what leadership and management challenges confront those who work in this sector.

GPPI graduates work in a vast array of nonprofit organizations, such as Achieve, American Red Cross, Astros Soccer Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Brookings Institution, Catholic Charities, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Child Trends, Council on Foreign Relations, Families USA, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Harlem Children’s Zone, The Kaiser Family Foundation, The Keystone Center, MDRC, National Council of Nonprofit Associations, National Governors Association, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Rodel Foundation of Delaware, Winrock International, The Workforce Alliance, and The World Bank.